The New Guide To Video Advertising On Facebook

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Facebook is the pioneer of social media advertising. Everyone who actively uses Facebook has seen a Facebook ad in some way, shape, or form.

Some people like them, some don't. Many have an opinion based on the controversy that surrounds Facebook in general. That said, marketers cannot deny the benefits of using Facebook's ad platform, and with 2 billion active users, that's not going to stop.
With social platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn , offering advertising options, so businesses are branching out to include them in their marketing strategy.

Facebook still comes out on top as it has the most extensive active user base and the most potential for reach. On top of that, since it now owns Instagram, you can integrate dual-platform advertising. All of Instagram's ads run through the Facebook ad manager.

Let's take a look at how video advertising through Facebook is vital to achieving success in your marketing campaigns.

Four cell phones with different types of facebook ads on them

What Types of Video Ads Can You Run on Facebook?

There are many different options for running ads on Facebook. The ad platform is user-friendly and will help you effectively get your ads up and running.

In general, you can break down Facebook video ads into two principal types, in-stream, and in-feed.

In-Stream Ads

In-stream ads are video advertisements up to 15 seconds in length that will appear within other video content.

They will occur when a user is watching content from custom publishers or other creators on their feed.

They must be viewing the material for at least a minute before these ad breaks will play, and once they do, the viewer cannot skip them.

The video ads are this way, so the viewer is interested in what they are watching and likely to watch the ad play through.

Why Choose In-Stream Ads?

- They are more attention-grabbing.

- Users are already viewing video content and more likely to watch your ad.

- Since viewers cannot skip through your ad, you have the opportunity to be more in-depth with your information and get your story across.

Something to note is that because the video ads are like a commercial break, there is no option to include a click-through or call-to-action button.

That said, you can include links to your landing page on the Audience Network, so make so you use that option.

A person is holding a cell phone with a facebook page open.

In-Feed Ads

In-feed video ads are any ads that will come up as the users are scrolling through their newsfeed.

Active users spend a considerable portion of their time on their newsfeed, so video ads here offer excellent potential for reach.

They can vary in length, but ideally, you want to keep them short and attention-grabbing. Since users have short attention spans, they will likely only stop for a few seconds, and videos under 15 seconds have a better record of completion.

In-feed ads can be broken down into a few sub-types.

Two cell phones displaying a facebook ad for parents teachers

Carousel

You can use carousel ads on both Facebook and Instagram.

They allow you to feature up to ten videos in a slideshow format, each with a unique link or call-to-action. It gives you the chance to promote a variety of products or services within one ad.

The Benefits of Carousel Video Ads

- It can feature multiple products or various aspects of one product.

- Interactive, with call-to-action buttons for each slide.

- Lower cost per click-through/conversion than other ads.

A cell phone with a facebook page open on it.

Vertical Video

Vertical video ads are best when viewed by mobile users. That is because their vertical format allows the advertisement to fill up the full screen when the user is scrolling through.

If you are targeting those on mobile phones, vertical video is more likely to convert.

Benefits of Vertical Video

- Users viewing content on mobile can remember information after watching for as little as .25 of a second.

- More than 70% of vertical ads raise brand lift and dramatically increase information retention and recall.

- Users can watch videos faster through a mobile device then they can run on a computer

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Instagram Story

Instagram Story video ads are also vertical but explicitly used for the Instagram platform.

Users will see the ads while they are viewing video content from their friend's stories. It will serve as an ad break between those videos.

Benefits of Instagram Story Video Ads

- They play automatically, which means the viewer doesn't need to click anything

- You can tailor your ads reach based on the goal of your campaign. Options include conversions, reach, views, app installation, and more.

- Content comes off very genuine and real, and it doesn't seem like an ad.

There are also options for in-feed ads that are a mix of both still images and videos.

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Why Choose Facebook Ads Over Other Platforms (YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn)?

The apparent reason is the sheer volume of active users on Facebook.

Combine that with Instagram integration, and you've got a massive potential for reach. Beyond that, there are some other reasons to choose Facebook for your video ad campaign.

Facebook says that 37 percent more millennials are reached through their video ads compared to advertising on TV. Honestly, that statistic isn't that surprising, as more young people are viewing content online and not on TV. As well, Facebook has been at the head of advertising on social platforms and is continuously innovating new strategies for marketing; this includes VR and 360-degree video.

Out of all the leading social platforms, studies show that Facebook achieves the most targeted impressions. That means it can accurately deliver content to your specific audience.

Facebook requires all users to log in to view content, and therefore, a lot of data is captured in the process. All their personal information, including their demographic and their likes, is used to help you target them with your ads.

A graph showing the average cost per click on facebook

8 Tips for Video Advertising on Facebook

1. Make Your Videos Funny

A higher percentage of viewers will watch and re-watch videos that are funny than those that are informative. They also cost almost 60 percent less to market then emotional content.

2. Make It Mobile Friendly

Over 90% of Facebook and Instagram users view content on mobile.

3. Include Overlays

Include text overlays in your video content. Some videos get watched without sound, and text overlays ensure that the viewer still gets the message.

4. Highlight Your Brand

Make sure to feature and focus on your brand, especially during the first couple of seconds of the video. You want to grab the viewers' attention and embed your brand in their brains straight away.

5. Make it Relevant

Your video ads' relevance score will determine the cost of your campaign or the CPM. The more relevant your content is, the lower your CPM.

6. Use Facebook Messenger

You can also feature video ads in Messenger, which will allow you to combine them with the direct response features of Facebook. Stick to advertisements of 15 seconds in length.

7. Use Optimization

If you're not sure where to start, make use of the internal delivery system on Facebook. It will automatically place your ads where it thinks they will perform the best.

8. Run Your Ads Around Mealtime

Ads will perform the best around mealtimes, as that is when most people are on their phones. Plan your schedule accordingly.

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General Specs to Follow for Newsfeed Facebook Video Ads

Video Ratio- Between 9:16 and 16:9

Resolution- Highest available

File Size- 4GB

Minimum length- 1 sec

Maximum length- 240 min

Captions- Recommended

Sounds- Recommended

Should You Use Facebook for Video Ads?

Regardless of your budget, Facebook will allow you to use it to its full potential.

With a wide range of targeting and formatting options to choose from, it's the most inclusive ad platform you can find. Even if you want to spread your budget out over multiple platforms, we advise putting a substantial chunk of it into Facebook video advertising.